Illuminated poster, bulletin, and sign board



Sept. 22, 1925.

ILLUMINATED POSTER, BULLETIN, AND SIGNBOARD Filed Oct. 24 1923 INVLNTQQ Laws H- RAMQEY I AT TQ'Q N EY 1,554,596 'L. H. RAMSEY Patented Sept. 22, 191?)? UNITED STATES LOUIS H. RAMSEY, O'F LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

ILLUMINATED POSTER, BULLETIN, AND SIGN BOARD.

A plication filed October 24, 1923. Se ial No- 670,614;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis H. RAMSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Poster, Bulletin, and Sign Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in illuminated poster, bulletin and sign boards and more particularly to advertising sign boards such as are distributed along streets and highways and upon the hillsides.

In the past it has been customary to provide illuminationfor advertising sign boards consisting of lamps arranged in front 'of the signs and supported by various shaped arms extending from the top thereof. The lamps of necessity have reflectors designed for the purpose of deflecting the rays of light from the passing public and for concentrating the rays of light upon the sign. However, disadvantages-are connected with this method of illuminating advertising signs, in that the several lights are reflected directly and nearly perpendicular to the sign thereby concentrating intensive illumination in spots, while other portions lack sufficient illumination. The supporting arms of the lamps, for the purpose of partially overcoming the spotted and unsatisfactory non-uniform illumination of'the sign, are generally lengthened to a point whereby considerable light is dissipated before reaching the sign, thereby requiring additional candle power to procure sutficient illumination. Furthermore, the wind, rain, ice, and other elements in time cause disarrangement of the lamp supports and they are, therefore, the source of continuous trouble and expense. Besides these disadvantages connected with the present method of illuminating advertisingsign boards and the like the unsightly appearance of the supporting arms and reflectors detract from the sign during the daylight period.

The objects of my invention are to provide means whereby advertising sign boards may be efliciently, economically and attractively illuminated by lamps concealed from view of the readers of the sign; to provide means whereby the rays of light start in close proximity and are directly concentrated upon the sign thereby avoiding dissipation of the light rays and reducing the present candle power requiredto clearly visualize the sign; to provide means whereby the light rays are reflected into holes or depressions on the sign; to provide means whereby-the light rays are reflected from a reflector to another reflector thereby making use of a ray of light many times in wardly at. an angle adapted to illuminate all normaldepressions or elevations within the sign and adapted to cause the rays of light tobe reflected from one reflector toward the other reflector, and viceversa.

My invention also consists in the details l of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings a Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a stationary sign board with the supporting construction a usual sign board 1 adapted to receive an advertislng slgn on its front is supported by :hollow columns 2, containing lamps 3 and 3', respectively, having reflectors 1 and 4', respectively, secured to vertical tubes 5 and 5" by clamping brackets 6. i

As shown in Fig. 1 lamp 3 is positioned adjacent the lower horizontal edge of sign board 1 and slightly in front of the face of the sign, and reflectors: is adjusted to reflect the rays of light from lamp 3 across substantially the one-half ofthe front of the sign board comprising the portion below a line drawn from a corner 1 of the sign board adjaeentlanlp 3 diagonally acros the sign board to corner 1. Lamp 3 is posltioned adjacent the upper horizontal edge and slightly in front ofthe-face of the-sign, and reflector 4 is adjusted to reflect the rays of light from lamp 3; across substantially the one-half of the front of the slgn board comprising the portion above the line drawn from corner 1' to corner 1. Lamp 3,1may'tbe positioned adjacent the upper horizontal edge of the sign board and lamp 3 may 'be positioned adjacent the lower-horizontal edge of the sign board,*the primary object being that each lamp shall illuminate substantially one-half of the front surface of the sign not illuminated by the other lamp. V

The construction of the mechanism on each end of the sign being siibsta'ntially the same,' only one side need be described in detail.

The upper andlowerends 'of vertical tubes '5 and 5 are axially pivoted in transverse supports 7 and 8, respectively,secured tothe inner surface of the. Walls of the colmiss. The lower ends of the Vertical tubes project through cylindrical base 9 and "are securedthereto by screws 10 threaded in ertical sock'ets 11, respectiyely, integral with base 9, respectively, each having indicating finger 12-fiXed to the side thereof and; adapted to cooperate with graduating scale 13 fixed to the upper sides of transverse support 8 Thumb- 'sc'r ew 14 threaded in hole 15 in cylindrical base 9 is adapted to secure the cylindrical base and Vertical tube 5 against rotary movement. The zigzag reflector 16 made of any suitable inaterial such as "metal, niclrel plated to insure a bright and rfl'e'ctin' surface,- is fixed to the inner side of-yiticaltnbe 5 as by spotwelding points of cosmetic :to' the verti- 'oaltnbe Tli'efaigzag reflector extends from transverse support 7- dowiitvardly to transverse support-8 and is so adj-ustedthat when light rays from lamp 3 are properly adjiisted upon the front/surface ofsign board 1 the outer edge 16 of the zig zagi e'fl'ector is inclined sufli'cientlytoviai d the center of the sign board so thatthe rays of'light from lamp pose of illuminating-ole"ressions and elevations such as may be 0 th'e surface o'f'the sign:

3 are reflected inwardly forthe pur- Tlie reflector 16 is made in substantially a zig-z'ag form for the-purpose of Tefiectihg the light rays from lamp 8' toward sign board 1 With a uniform intensity, audit is adapted t'odistribute the light equally over allfpo'rtions 'ofthe sign as ivell as tohreflectthe light t'ays into the deipressions that may appear on the sign. alfle plates 17 are pivoted respectively, to plates 18 fixed to transve'rse support 7 and'toplate fixed to transverse'support 8. Pivot 20 fixed to each end ofbafile plate 17 extends otally connected to thebot toin edges of the baffle platesat 22 and extending horizontally from one baffle plate to the other.

Cross bar 21 is provided with longitudinal slot 21 to receive bolt 23 mounted in the column and said cross bar is secured in any-adjusted position desired by Wing nut 24. Lamp 3 "has conductors 25 connected thereto and extending through hole 26 in reflector 4', through a perforation into vertical tube 5 and through the vertical tubezt'o suitable outside electrical current supply, oi to storage batteries in the base of the columns. p

V The operation and mechanical operative features 'ofnny invention are substantially as follows:

Reflector t containing lamp 3 is pbsitio'ned adjacent the lowersea of'i ertieal tube 5*and reflectori coii'taininglamp 3 is positioned adjacent the upper end of ertical tube 5; Assuming-that-zf1g:zag refl'e'ctors 16 and 16" are adjusted withre'la- 'tion to reflectors 4 and 4 so that light rays from "the lamest; and 3 are reflected iiiwardl toward the front of sign board 1 at a desired angle, reflectors 4 nd '4' are adjusted for directing light -rays; respecti 'vely; from lamps 3 and 3 across the front o'f' sign boa-rd 1' and are fixed to Vertical tubes 5 and 5, respectively, by tightening nuts '27; as clearly shotir'n in Fig. 4 for securing clamping brackets 6 to the Vertical tubes. Thumb screws 14 may then be 1005'- sued for final adjustment of reflectors 4 and 4 for directing the rays of light from lamps?) and 3 respectiyely toward the surface of the'nSua-l sign fixed to the front of board 1. "Crossbar 21 is adjusted to prope ly position the edges-of baflle plates 17 to deflect the rays of light inwardlyto- Ward the slgaand are fiXed in position by tightening Wing nut The light rays are "thereby reflected from lamps 3 ands, re spectiv eilypby reflectors 4 and 4; across their asin other directions causedby the Zig-zag form of the eflector whereb the Sign is illuminated with uniform intensity; It is therefore ap arent that I am enabled by the use o'fmy invention to utilize a ray of light more than one time. The increased lightingeifects on the sign secured thereby aredependent upon the e'flicient adjustment of reflectors 4 and 4; bafile plates 1 7 and izig-zzag reflectors i6 and 16; As shave Fig. 2 battle plates 17 deflect the rays of light from lamp 3 which ordinarily would be reflected by reflectors 4 and 4 outside the plane of the front of the sign. The battle plates thereby increase the volume of light on the sign and prevent the lamp being seen by passers by no matter at what angle from which the sign may be viewed. The zig-zag reflectors 16 and 16 are preferably placed at a slight angle relative to the sign board as by placing the outside edge 16" slightly toward the center of the sign thus causing the rays of light to be reflected inwardly toward the sign, thereby efficiently and effectively illuminating depressions, elevations and the like on all portions of the sign. The reflectors t and 4: are preferably positioned so as to reflect the rays of light from lamps 3 and 3, respectively, diagonally across the front of the sign, the rays of light from lamp 3 covering that portion of the sign not covered by the rays of light from lamp 3. The light rays when reflected by zig-zag reflectors 16 and 16 toward the center of the sign are distributed over its entire surface thus effecting a uniform illumination without considerable loss of the volume of light rays being absorbed by objects other than the sign. Therefore, by the use of my invention, I obtain equal illumination of a sign board by the use of considerably less candle power than is required to illuminate sign boards by the usual illuminating means and methods of reflecting the light rays as has been customary in the past.

I have chosen to illustrate one form of construction of my invention by means of which a sign board may be efficiently illuminated with a considerable saving in the candle power required, but the showing made by me has been more for illustration and without attempt of completeness and I desire to emphasize the fact that various forms not shown by me may be adapted for use of my invention, such as, for instance, where, as

shown in Fig. 1 my structure discloses only one lamp in each column and in a preferred position, as many lamps as desired and in various positions, may be used. It is, therefore, to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the forms of embodiments herein disclosed because it is susceptible of embodiments of various forms all coming within the scope of the claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sign, a lamp partly concealed near the top and slightly in front of the face of the sign, a reflector fixed to said lamp and adapted to direct the light rays across substantially one-half of the surface of the sign, and a reflector upon the opposite vertical edge of the sign to direct the rays of light diagonally across the other half of the sign.

2. A sign having a front display surface upon which the display matter is mounted, hollow posts at each side or end of said sign adapted to support the sign, said posts having a vertical opening adjacent the sign, a light displayed within one of said hollow posts near the top thereof and in the other post near the bottom thereof and a vertical reflector along each vertical. edge of the sign whereby the rays of light are redirected across the surface of said sign to thoroughly and evenly distribute said light rays over the entire surface of the sign.

3. In a sign, a lamp concealed near the top and slightly in front of the face of said sign, a reflector fixed to said lamp and adapted to direct the light rays across substantially one half of the surface of the sign and a zig-zag reflector upon the opposite vertical edge of the sign adapted to re-reflect the light rays over the entire surface of said sign with uniform intensity, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a. stationary sign having hollow posts at each side adapted to support said sign, a lamp mounted in each of said posts and a reflector adjacent each of said lamps adapted to reflect the light rays from said lamp across the surface of said sign, a zig- Zagreflector slightly inclined inwardly extending vertically with the edge of said sign and adapted to re-reflect the light rays over the entire surface of said sign with uniform intensity, baflie plates pivotally connected in said hollow posts and adapted to be adjusted whereby the light rays from said lamp are adapted to be deflected toward the front surface of said sign and away from the range of vision, of passers-by, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a stationary sign having hollow posts at each side adapted to support said sign, a lamp mounted in each of said posts and a reflector adjacent each of said lamps adapted to reflect the light rays from said lamp across the surface of said sign, a zigzag reflector slightly inclined inwardly extending vertically with the edge of said sign and adapted to re -reflect the light rays over the entire surface of said sign with uniform intensity, a baffle plate adjacent the lamp whereby the light rays from said lamp are adapted to be deflected toward the front surface of said sign and away from the range of vision of passers-by, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a sign, a stationary post, a tube pivotally mounted therein, a lamp mounted on said tube, a disk supporting said tube and having an indicating finger thereon and a gauge whereby said indicating finger may be accurately adjusted to properly focus the lamp and reflector with relation to the sign.

LOUIS H. RAMSEY. 

